Week In Review

And what a week it was! Last Monday we saw a snowstorm blow through that dropped a good four inches and blew snow into two foot snowdrifts. On Tuesday we had below normal temperatures thanks to a cold front. On Wednesday we had more rain and in the evening the scattered rain switched over to snow.  I’d left the neighbor’s mare and filly out Thursday night thinking that the temps wouldn’t get too cold and that it wouldn’t rain. Sure enough, dark clouds roll in and it started to sprinkle so back out I went to put the mare and filly inside. But by Friday we had 70 degree weather. Crazy how we can go from a snowstorm to beautiful weather in just four short days.

This past week has been a blur. The paying job has me hopping so there’s very little time left for me to do anything but minimal chores and back in to work more. But I have been in the saddle a lot more in the past three days. I was sick Thursday night so couldn’t go to drill team practice. But I went to drill team practice Friday night and had a great time. Saturday we loaded up early to attend the Horse Power Horse Show and perform with the Cowboy Way Ridin’ Angels at noon and then headed home. Mike worked on the plowtruck to turn it back into the spray truck. He even got a chance to spray some of the weeds in the pasture. I think he’s jumping the gun a little bit but I won’t tell if you won’t. Sunday, on a spur of the moment, I decided to go on a trail ride with the Lake County Boots and Saddle Club. I took Rain and realized not too far into the ride that I needed to take someone else. Luckily the clouds rolled in otherwise, I think Rain would have gone into Heat Exhaustion again. That poor horse. I forgot that once the temps reach 80, he’s no longer anything but a pasture puff standing in the shade. But that also means I need to get Chaos and Maverick going as trail ride horses. My goal this week and coming weekend is to work with them.

A number of the horses are overdue for their trims. I need to call the farrier this week and get it scheduled. The problem is the weather. The weather has been my holdup for so long. It’s been so crappy for so long that I can never predict the weather long enough to schedule an appointment. Every time I turn around it’s storming out. I guess I wont’ complain because it is moisture.

I filled water tanks last night and pulled water heaters. I’m wondering if I didn’t just jinx myself. We are still in the 70s for the next two days but there’s supposed to be a 20+ drop in temperature from Tuesday into Wednesday. I’m always a little nervous when we have that drastic of a temperature drop. I always keep a close eye on the older horses to make sure they won’t colic. Not that it’s ever happened, but I know it can.

I think Jim is depressed. I can’t figure out why he’s acting different than normal. He’s been this way for awhile and I can’t put my finger on it. I’ve taken to pulling him into the barn to let him eat a little bit of alfalfa. I haven’t been graining him lately because the mare has been in the barn. But I will have to resume graining to see if that makes him happy. There’s just something wrong with him and it’s bothering me that I can’t place it. I have such a hard time dealing with depression in horses. I don’t know how to fix it.

Rabbit’s heaves have flared up something terrible again. I haven’t been giving her medicine because she’s in with three others that would steal her grain. I am going to have to set up a little pen so she can go in and eat without being bothered. Maybe that way she’ll actually get her medicine. Until I can get pens together, I’ve started a different feeding method. I read somewhere that if you soak the hay, the dust, etc. wont’ be so bad and horses with heaves can eat a little easier. For whatever reason, in the winter when she’s only eating hay, her heaves don’t act up as much (although maybe they were and I didn’t’ notice because it was always dark when I was feeding her). So last night I drug out a tub and filled it with water and soaked her hay. I either need a bigger tub or less hay to soak. I didn’t think it worked at first because she was still breathing heavy. But then I noticed she wasn’t coughing. I guess we’ll be soaking her hay from now on. I soaked her hay overnight last night and tossed it out. I didn’t hear her cough this morning either although in the mornings I don’t think her heaves are as bad thanks to the  moisture/dew. But we’ll see how it goes. Maybe tonight I can move some corral panels around and get her situated in a pen away from the others so she can start back on her meds. I’m afraid she really does need to be on her meds all through the spring, summer, and fall. I had hoped that the heaves were getting better. I should know better.

We have another beautiful day today although maybe not as warm. I’m hoping to get just a little bit more done tonight and tomorrow night before the cold front moves through. Keep your fingers crossed that I wont’ regret pulling the water heaters out of Babe and Bo’s tanks!